Caster socket



July 29, 1924. 1,503,328

W. H. MCALLJSTER CASTER SOCKET Filed April 25, 19255 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 29, 19z4 W. H. MCALLISTER CASTER SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 26. 19215 Patented July 29, 1924.

WILLIAM H. MeALLisTER, or; LINDEN, rENNsYLvANIA.

cAsTn'R SOCKET.

Application filed April 2G, 1923. Serial No. 634,722.

T0 all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HQMCAL- Lis'rnn, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Linden, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invent` ed certain new and useful Improvements in Caster Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

and has for an object to provide new and improved features of economy in manufacturing and reliability in use.

A further `object of the invention is to provide a ,caster socket adapted to receive a caster of the spindle type with new and improved means for retaining a ball in'positionto engage ,the endV of the spindle for anti-friction purposes. L

A further obfect of the invention is to provide a spindle receiving socket with a shell of improved type yand style adapted to i'it and be retained in a tubular member such as the leg of a metal bed.

n With these and .other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel parts, elements, units, combinations and constructions as disclosed in the drawings, together fwith mechanical equivalents thereof, as willV be hereinafter more fully 'described and claimed. f Inthe drawings: Figure 1 is, afview of the caster socket `inside elevation',` showing the housing also .in side. elevation for engagementin a` metal bed or the like.. 1

Figure 2 4is a diametrical sectional Vview normally vertical .through the type shown at Figure 1 and takenv on line2-r-2 of that ligure. y y

Figure 3 is a4 top planview of. the type shown at Figures-1 and 2. V Figure 4' isfa transverse` sectional view taken on line-44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail plan view of the blank from which the housing shown at Figures l and L1,y inclusive, is constructed. Figure 6 is a diametricalsectional view of the ball retainer before it has `been closed into ball-retainingproportions.

Figure 7 ,'s a diametrical sectional view of the ball-retainer closed to ball-retaining proportions, the. ball being indicated Vin dottedV lines in saidflgure. i

Figure 8 is a diametrical sectional view through a slightly different modiiication of the invention.

. Figure 9 is a viewr partly in side elevation and partly in diametrical section of a different embodiment of the invention.

Figure 10 is altransverse sectional view A 4 taken on line ylO-f'l() of Figure 9. This invention relates to caster socketsV Figure 11 is a view partly 'in side elevation and partly in section of a slightly different modification of the invention.

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view taken Online 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in diametrical. section of said different modification of the invention. Like charactersl of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the kseveral views. f 'The improved caster socket which forms the subject-matter of this application is adapted to be associated with spindles of various types as, for instance, the spindles indicated conventionally at 10, 11 and 12,

.it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited in its application to spindles of any of these specific types but in- .l cludes spindles of other types as well.

To embrace the spindle of either or any of the -types employed,` a tubular socket is provided, V,one embodiment being shown at formed into a semi-cylindrical portion, the edges of which abut the juxtaposed section, forming a complete tube but with slits upon diametrically opposite sides. y

This socket, 13, is 'attached vto supporting devices of several types by forming a bead, 15, and flange, 16, between which is located a groove receiving the inner edge of some supporting device of general annular formation.A Asrshown at Figures 1 and 2, this disc, 17, is inclined Ysomewhat downwardly from itssupport upon the flange, 16, and v its fedgef, `18, rolled over the edge of the casing. This casing Vis intended to` fit Nandbe retained in a tubular member as explained in the objects of invention, l as,

be inserted in beds of standard sizes, provision being. mada. to lit different `standard i' sizes. The provision for fitting such different sizes consists of ribs, 19, stamped into the metal and outstanding from the circumference of the housing, as Aindicated more particularly Yat Figures 3 and 4. The hous ing, 18, is also preferably composed of sheet metal, a blank being shown at Figure 5 wherein as a preliminary step the ribs,

19, are struck up. Spring tongues, 2 0, arey also similarly struck up or formed in this sheet met-al, but are bowed outward-ly from the lines of the housing as indicated atvFigure 2, so that the housing becomes rigidly and pern'ianently'asso'ciated with the socket, 13, as so indicated. It is provided with an opening, 22, at its jupper end, throughwhich the upper end of the socket, lgextends, so that the weight of the supported yarticle does not bear upon the folded part, 121-, of the socket, but is carried by a colla-L17', having an internal flange, `17 which bears upon the disc, j17, or the inturned flange, 21,3and cornmunicated to the`socket by bearing upon the flange, 16. lThis collar, 17 is intended to fit rather snugly Vabout the tube A Yand preventv splitting of the tubing which so oftenhappens with 'inserted casters.

Instead of employing the socket, 18, in associationwith the housing, 18, however, it is in some instances provided with a supporting member for engaging into a wooden body, as, for instance, the leg of a table or the like. For this purpose, the disc, here indicated at 23, is associated with the socket member as is the disc, 17, and its outer periphery is rolled upwardly at 24 and terminates in points, 25, proportioned to penetrate the wood of the table leg or the like.

In some instances, it has been found desirable simply to attach the socket to the article by means of 'screws inserted through a disc. Under suchlconditions, it is not necessary to attach the parts together as shown at Figures 2 and 8, but the metal'of the socket Iin this instance shown at Figures 11 and 13 and numberedj2`6 maybe simply flanged outwardly to form adi's'c, 27, Awhich may be reinforced by a washer, 28 or 29.

For the various types ofspindles, 10, 11 and 12 or other spindles which may bezemployed, means are provided for retaining' the spindle in the socket. At Figure 8,indentations,30, are shown which engage in a constriction, 81, inthe spindle. At Figure '9, spring'fingers, V32, are provided which naturally will be stamped up at the same time the socket is dieistamp'ed and will 'engage in the specificA type of constriction indicated at 33 in said figure. y

Whatever the typerof spindle, 'audits coacting retaining means, the upper Aend of'the socket Yis provided with a ball-retainer, '34. This balleretainerv is shown n in enlarged sectional ldetail atFigure 7 and iinF-i'gure the `same showing, v4butiiio't closed t-'o 'embrace the ball beyond its equator. This ballretainer, by reason of the slit margin, 35, is frictionally retained in the upper end of the socket and also retains the 'ball in such position. It will be obvious that the ball may be placed in the retainer in its condition `as shown yatgFigure (3i-and then the ball and retainer forced into the socket closing lthe device down to the position shown at Figure 7, automatically retaining the retainer.

I claim: Y c i 1. VA `caster socket comprising 'a tubular member having a groove "at its lower end,

a body-supporting centrally perforated plate, having its perforation engaged in the groove afndmeans provided by thepla'te for engagement with 'a 'body t`o besfupported. s

2. A caster socket comprising a tubular tainer in positi-o'nand the ball within the re- Vmember of `sheet met'alformed in conjoined semiltubular "sections having its lower end flanged and beaded to produce "a circumferential groove, a lbod'y#supporting centrallyfperforated plate embracing the socket v'and seated in the ygroove and means carried by the vplatefor engagement withv a body to be supported.

outwardly 'and engaged by the periphery4 `of the plate, and yielding engaging means eX-v tending outwardly through the housing.

`4A 4caster socket comprising a tubular Vmember composed 'of conjoined semi-cylindrical 'parts Aconnected at their upper end by a section forming a closure for the tube, a bead vvflange vformed adjacent the lower end of the tube producing an interlying groove,

la centrally `rperforated plate engaged by the groove and extending outwardly in a direc- "tion generally L'perpendic'ular to the 'anis of the tubular member and having its outer "periphery rolled land (turned upwardly, a housing surrounding Athe tubular member andlh'aving its lower'feiid flanged outwardly and "enclosed and embraced by the roll of the plate, ribs formed longitudinally along the housing,` `spring retaining members underlying seine of the ribs 2and bowed outwardly beyond :th'e linesof thehousfing.

l5. Afcaste'r socket comprising a tubular a ban-retainer Contracted by as ntfoduaie into the tube and a ball positioned in the retainer comprising a spherical segmental tainer having a spherical segment extending socket greater than half a sphere containing beyond the retainer. a ball, a spherical segment of which extends 10 6. A caster socket comprising a tubular beyond the ball-retainer. 5 member proportioned t0 receive e spindle In testimony whereof I alliX my signature.

of a caster and a ball-retainer in the upper end of said tubular member, said ball-re- WILLIAM I-IMCALLISTER. 

